My friend Nicole Baute who is also a writer made a list of 100 things that make her happy as part of a free writing exercise. Her list was interesting and revealing.
I worked with Nicole for six months and I never knew she loved the color red too. The exercise created by Julia Cameron is to help writers get out of their heads. Anyway, so before I find the book – The Right to Write – I decided to try my hands at the exercise.
I’m not officially out of my head yet, but I had the most fun compiling this list. I didn’t even realize the different things that mean so much. One thing is, I will certainly find the book.
Here we go…
1. Fresh food
2. Trying out new foods
3. Tea
4. Yoghurt
5. Books
6. Being given a book as a gift
7. Finding fun and quirky gifts
8. Eating out with friends
9. Cooking for three
10. Talking about books
11. Sight-seeing
12. Traveling
13. Being driven
14. Meeting new people
15. Late night conversations
16. Walks
17. Period pieces
18. Random outings (planned by family and friends)
19. No Sweetness Here
20. Wasan Shire’s works
21. People who smell good
22. Scarves
23. Open spaces
24. Loud music on the drive home
25. BBC’s outlook
26. Radio features
27. Royal Palm Avenue
28. Written prayers
29. Saltpond beach
30. The Kumsi Ramseyer Presby church
31. Bookcases
32. Mountains
33. Palm wine
34. My red couch
35. Plums
36. Watching people who can dance, dance
37. The Cape Coast Castle road Methodist church
38. University campuses
39. Old Church buildings
40. Running
41. Asa
42. Novels
43. Nora Ephron’s books and essays
44. Blueberry muffins
45. Koobi
46. Soft sheets
47. Anne Frank’s Diary
48. Live bands
49. Nina Simone on Sunday mornings
50. Red lipstick
51. When people check up on me
52. Family gatherings
53. Uncluttered spaces
54. Mango
55. The colour red
56. A good sense of humour
57. The food channel
58. Goofing around
59. Laughter
60. Earphones that work
61. Comfortable but beautiful shoes
62. Staying in
63. Fast internet
64. Disconnecting from the world
65. A good bar of chocolate
66. Peppered snails
67. Small houses
68. Festivals
69. Fresh air
70. Big windows that open
71. The smell of the patch when it drizzles
72. Rain
73. Old letters and cards
74. Candles
75. Unusual mugs
76. Hanging out with the sisterhood
77. Religious rituals
78. My red couch
79. Incantations said during libation
80. Window shopping
81. Clean bathrooms (everywhere)
82. Watching children play
83. The Count of Monte Cristo
84. Farm visits
85. Breakfasts at La Beach Hotel
86. Going through a bookshop
87. Brandi Carlile
88. Eunice’s condensed milk toffees
89. Church before everyone arrives
90. Koo Nimo’s songs
91. Studs
92. Kansimme’s skits
93. Old buildings
94. Hymns
95. Pictures
96. Mbaasem meetings
97. Spices
98. Nature reserves/parks
99. Grey’s Anatomy seasons with Cristina Yang
100. The drive to Akosombo